Sunday, 10 June 2012

My Skin Tips for Spot & Acne Prone Skin!

This post is based on my own experiences and advice I've been given from others. It's primarily aimed at spot/acne prone skin, which is what I've suffered with since my early teens. Although the acne has thankfully gone, I'm still very spot prone and do hope for the day when I only get that a once-a-month-breakout. Even if you are lucky enough to have clear skin, please still have a read as I think most of these tips will translate across all skin types.

I do believe that what doesn't work for one person works for another, so it's not that these are necessarily guaranteed, but I hope you like!

Skincare

Have a skincare routine and follow it as religiously as possible. Always take off makeup! You can view my skincare routine here.

I cleanse and moisturise my skin morning and night. At night I double cleanse- the first cleanse takes off surface dirt and makeup, which means the second cleanse is really getting to your skin and into pores.

Wash your hands before touching your face to stop transfer of bacteria - I wash them before cleansing and before applying/touching up makeup.

Wash your makeup brushes regularly- I do mine once a week.

Of course most people will say no to picking your spots. I agree, but it's often easier said than done!! If I do, I only pick if the spot is ready. I wash my face first so that the warm water opens up pores and softens any horrible whiteheads. Don't pick down into your skin with your nails, as this pushes the gunk in further. Pick upwards with your fingertips - making sure your fingertips are covered with cotton wool or tissue to stop spreading of bacteria.

If you're really despairing over your skin, go and get advice from a skincare professional. Read my experience with Dermalogica Face Mapping here.

Makeup

When looking for foundation, powder and blusher look out for labels such as "non-comedogenic" (won't cause/worsen blackheads) or "non-acnegenic" (won't cause/worsen acne). "Oil free" is another one to look out for, but this can be deceiving because some products that say this may actually contain other ingredients that will cause spots.

- Talc - often used as a "filler" in powders and blushes - Mineral Oil - this is difficult for skin to absorb

- Paraffin Liquidium - another term for mineral oil

- Lanolin - a waxy oil made from sheep's wool

- SD Alcohol / Alcohol Denate - a pure form of alcohol. Using this regularly on your skin will dry it out and your skin will then overproduce oil to make up for the oil that has been removed by the alcohol.

Of course this list is not exclusive. I'd be interested to hear what ingredients in cosmetics you avoid!

Lifestyle

Of course leading a healthy lifestyle will contribute to healthy skin, though it's not guaranteed that this means no spots. However I recommend trying the following:

Drink lots of water! It keeps your skin hydrated.

Start the morning with a hot water and lemon drink. I read this tip on the internet a few years ago and I personally think it makes a difference to my skin. The reasoning behind it is that lemon is a natural antiseptic and contains Vitamin C, which helps your skin from the inside.

I often find that I get a breakout when I've been really stressed, so I'm more aware of how I react to stressful situations now.

So there you go, my skin tips! Sorry it's been such a wordy post with no piccies to break it up. Hopefully it doesn't make me sound too skin obsessed...!

This is an interesting one! If you know you’re acne-prone, you should use products that are mild and fragrance-free. The chemicals in most of cosmetics can usually trigger the breakouts. And one thing you should never forget is that it’s all about having good personal hygiene.